Isn't it funny how accidents happen when you least expect them to? Of course if you were expecting them, I don't suppose you could call them accidents! But as someone who seems to be prone to them, I am starting to think a little warning would be nice!
Chuck was off yesterday and after we collected the boys from preschool, decided to give them lunch and work in the house until we had some shade in the back garden and could go out there to work. A little while back we bought a Hoover steam vacuum so we could clean our carpets, and thought we could practice on the stairs before doing the entire upper floor. (We have wood downstairs). Chuck wanted me to sit down and rest, but I wanted to help him, so said I would vacuum the stairs while he prepared the steam vacuum. He wasn't thrilled, but I hate sitting down doing nothing while he's working! It's neither comfortable nor relaxing for me.
I cleaned the bottom few steps then moved the vacuum to the middle landing while I cleaned the last two steps and without warning the vacuum fell off the landing and hit me on the head! OMG! It hurt like hell! I burst into tears and was crouched on the stairs with my hands on my head and just crying and crying. Chuck ran over, pushed the vacuum off me and switched it off and all I heard him say was "Oh God Wendy, you're bleeding!" So, being somewhat practical, I told him to get me off the stairs before I bled all over the carpet and to fetch me some towels. I couldn't stop crying, my head hurt so much and I was conscious of blood all over my hands and arms, down my shirt and pooling around my feet on the wood floor. The twins were standing silently in front of me while I cried and bled and tried to reassure them that mummy was OK, she just had a bad boo boo!
While I stood there with the towels pressed to my head, Chuck called my doctor but she wasn't able to get me in, so we realised we were going to have to head to the emergency room. I called my friend and neighbor, Christine, and she came right over to take the boys, despite having 3 of her own children at home and a husband who was laying a new floor that day. Thank heavens for friends who are willing to drop everything to help you out when you are in a bind! Chuck and I headed to the hospital and I cried off and on the entire way, not just because my head hurt but because I was in my old gardening clothes and had little makeup left on my face! I hate to go out looking a mess! How silly!
We expected a long wait at the hospital, but the emergency room was entirely empty so I was taken straight through to be treated. I needed a tetanus shot, had my head cleaned and then injected with Lidocaine to numb it before the nurse put in two staples! OUCH! Needless to say I had the worst headache of my life for the rest of the day, and spent the afternoon trying to rest and sleep away the pain and wash the blood out of my hair. I didn't sleep very well last night, and have a bad headache again today. This morning I am relishing the quiet in the house, but already dreading when the screaming, shouting, terrible twosome get home from preschool!
Chuck has banned me from ever using the vacuum cleaner again, so I may have to resign myself to living in dust and dirt up to my ankles from now on! But how many of us clean the bottom half of the stairs with the vacuum on the floor, then put it at the top of the stairs while cleaning the rest? It's normal practice, but not for me, not anymore.
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